出口成章

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: chū kǒu chéng zhāng
• English Translation: To speak eloquently, to produce beautiful prose effortlessly
• Idiom Composition: 「出」（To utter, to produce）＋「口」（Mouth）＋「成」（To become, to form）＋「章」（Chapter, essay, literary piece）
• Meaning: To speak in such a way that one's words immediately form elegant prose. It describes someone who is so eloquent and intelligent that their spoken words are as refined as written compositions.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「出口成章」 contains the following nuances:

• Quick-witted and articulate: Refers to the ability to think quickly and choose appropriate words for expression instantly.
• Brilliant literary talent: Indicates skillful use of language, rich expression, and the ability to captivate listeners.
• Profound knowledge: Suggests the ability to make profound statements backed by extensive knowledge and cultivation.
• Eloquent and persuasive: Implies the ability to speak persuasively and excel in debates or arguments.

3. Usage

「出口成章」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Praising a person's talent: Used to praise someone with excellent speaking or writing skills.
  • Example:「他学识渊博，每次发言都能出口成章，令人佩服。」
    （He is very knowledgeable, and every time he speaks, his words flow eloquently, which is admirable.）
• Evaluating literary talent: Used to evaluate the excellent literary talent of writers, poets, etc.
  • Example:「这位作家文采飞扬，出口成章，每篇文章都让人耳目一新。」
    （This writer is full of literary talent, and his words form into beautiful prose effortlessly; every article is refreshing.）
• Emphasizing debate or speech ability: Used to describe excellent debaters or speakers in debate competitions or speech contests.
  • Example:「在辩论赛中，她反应迅速，出口成章，赢得了观众的喝彩。」
    （In the debate, she reacted quickly and spoke eloquently, winning the audience's applause.）

Additional Examples:

1. 老师鼓励学生多读书，提高自己的文化素养，以便能够出口成章。
   （The teacher encourages students to read more and improve their cultural literacy so that they can speak eloquently.）
2. 他虽然年轻，但已经能够出口成章，将来必定大有作为。
   （Although he is young, he can already produce beautiful prose effortlessly, and he will surely achieve great things in the future.）
3. 这位诗人出口成章，他的诗歌充满了智慧和哲理。
   （This poet speaks eloquently, and his poems are full of wisdom and philosophy.）
4. 经过多年的训练，他已经能够出口成章，成为了一名出色的演说家。
   （After years of training, he can now speak eloquently and has become an excellent orator.）
5. 想要出口成章，就必须不断学习，积累知识，提高自己的表达能力。
   （If you want to speak eloquently, you must continuously learn, accumulate knowledge, and improve your expressive ability.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• High regard for literary talent: In traditional Chinese culture, literary talent is one of the highly valued abilities. '出口成章' reflects this cultural background and is used to indicate high intelligence and cultivation.
• Figurative expression: '出口成章' is almost always used figuratively, not literally. It emphasizes eloquence and skill in language, rather than words literally forming written compositions.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 文思泉涌 (wén sī quán yǒng): Literary inspiration gushing forth like a spring.
  • 才高八斗 (cái gāo bā dǒu): To be exceptionally talented and learned.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 语无伦次 (yǔ wú lún cì): Incoherent speech, disorganized.
  • 笨口拙舌 (bèn kǒu zhuō shé): Clumsy in speech, inarticulate.

6. Summary

'出口成章' is an idiom that signifies not just fluent speech, but also profound knowledge and rich expressive power accompanying one's words. In traditional Chinese culture, literary talent is highly valued, and understanding this cultural background will lead to a deeper comprehension of this idiom. To master this idiom, it is important to continuously accumulate knowledge through reading and learning, and to refine one's expressive abilities.